Like the Back of My Hand

Journal of Prince Edward Island Naturalist Geoff Hogan

Geoffrey Hogan was a well-respected naturalist and authority on PEI’s vegetation and wildlife, who resided in Springvale, PEI until his untimely death in 1992. His popular courses and nature tours, and his book Familiar Birds of Prince Edward Island, have profoundly influence many people. Geoff had nurtured his property in Springvale into a gardener’s paradise which attracted birds and wildlife all year round. He had a profound awe for the natural beauty of the Island, and in his journals he wrote about what he saw out his kitchen window: how one season flowed into the other, how the birds, animals and plants shared this special place he called home, especially his garden which he said he knew “like the back of my hand.”

The Institute of Island Studies at UPEI developed this delightful video from the journals and photos of Geoff Hogan. For lovers of nature and particularly gardeners, it will help will help illustrate the perennial passion that Islanders maintain for their landscapes, seascapes, farmland, woodland, and flora and fauna.